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Friday, 17 May 2013

Diabetes danger in just ONE sugary drink a day: Chance of developing Type 2 increases by a fifth

Drinking one can of soft drink a day can increase the risk of type 2 diabetes by a fifth, scientists warn.

A
major study found the risk rose by as much as 22 per cent for every
12oz serving of sugar-sweetened drink a typical can consumed per
day.

Soft drinks have
previously been linked with weight gain and obesity a well-known
trigger for type 2 diabetes but researchers say the effect goes beyond
body weight and may be caused by an increase in insulin resistance.

The
study of almost 30,000 people living in eight European countries,
including Britain, follows US research which made near-identical
findings. Scientists at Imperial College London wanted to determine
whether the link held good in Europe, where soft drinks are less popular
than in America.

Professor
Nick Wareham, of the Medical Research Council’s epidemiology unit, who
oversaw the study, said it was more evidence that people should be
cautious about the amount of sugary soft drink they consumed.

He
said: ‘This finding adds to growing global literature suggesting that
there is a link between consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages,
obesity and risk of development of type 2 diabetes.

‘This observation suggests that consumption of these beverages should be limited as part of an overall healthy diet.’

Researchers
found that the risk of type 2 diabetes rose 22 per cent for people
having one 12oz (336ml) serving of sugar-sweetened soft drink a day
compared with those not having any. For those having two soft drinks, it
rose a further 22 per cent over those having one drink.

The number of Britons diagnosed with
diabetes hit three million this year for the first time almost one in
20 of the population.

Type 2
diabetes is strongly linked to lifestyle factors such as being
overweight or obese, leading a sedentary lifestyle and an unhealthy
diet.

It occurs when the body gradually loses
the ability to process blood sugar, leading to high levels which can
damage body organs and result in years of ill-health.

The latest study used data on
consumption of juices and nectars, sugar-sweetened soft drinks and
artificially sweetened soft drinks. It involved 12,403 people with type 2
diabetes and 16,154 without diabetes.

The researchers, led by Dr Dora
Romaguera, said a possible reason for the link could be the effect of
sugar-sweetened drinks on insulin resistance.

Type
2 diabetes is frequently preceded by an increase in insulin resistance,
where the body becomes insensitive to the effects of insulin resulting
in high blood sugar levels.

Dr
Romaguera said: ‘Given the increase in sweet beverage consumption in
Europe, clear messages on the unhealthy effect of these drinks should be
given to the population.’

Consumption
of pure fruit juice and nectar drinks was not implicated in rising
diabetes, although the study could not separate out the effect of 100
per cent pure juices from those with added sugars.

Dr
Matthew Hobbs, of Diabetes UK, said: ‘The large number of people
involved in this study means this finding is extremely unlikely to have
happened by chance.’

Gavin
Partington, of the British Soft Drinks Association, said: ‘It is well
known that diabetes is the result of many different factors, including
obesity and family history.

‘Soft
drinks are safe to consume but, like all other food and drink, should
be consumed in moderation.’ The study was published in Diabetologia, the
journal of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes.